Witbooi artefacts coming
Preparations for the return of Chief Hendrik Witbooi's bible and whip from Germany are going full steam ahead despite a protest by some Nama traditional leaders.
The arts and culture ministry has dismissed claims by the Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA) that repatriating the bible and whip of the late Nama chief Hendrik Witbooi would negatively affect the New York court case on reparations for the Nama and Ovaherero genocide of 1904-08.
The NTLA last week urged the government to postpone the repatriation of the two historic artefacts, which are scheduled to be returned from Germany next week. The group also instructed a lawyer to apply for a court interdict to prevent Germany from returning the items.
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority has thrown its weight behind the NTLA.
Arts minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa yesterday emphasised that a law had been passed in Germany to allow for the repatriation of the items. She said the repatriation had been planned long ago and was supposed to form part of the third repatriation of human remains from Germany last August, but it was postponed. “This bible [is] coming back after 100 years in a new dawn, a new era where we have a legitimate government elected by the people, including the Witbooi or other clans representing the people of Namibia in its entirety, [which] has the legal standing to represent the people of Namibia at a state-to-state level. States do not negotiate with individuals,” she emphasised.
She added that Witbooi was much more than a “small tribesman” but rather “a world icon”.
“If there are letters written by whoever, that is not something for us to answer; we keep to what is under our mandate. We have been in consultation with the Witbooi descendants on this issue.”
She also said that the government planned to build a Hendrik Witbooi memorial museum where these artefacts and other items related to the legendry leader would be exhibited for future generations.
According to her a certified copy of the bible will in the meantime be exhibited at Gibeon at a venue agreed upon with the Witbooi family until the museum is built.
“The fact that we, the government of Namibia, are taking the official handing-over to Gibeon is the ultimate honour, recognition and respect to the Nama people in their entirety and the /Khowese and Witbooi clan in particular,” she said.
Namibia's ambassador to Germany, Andreas Guibeb, yesterday said without a court order the NTLA's lawyer's letter remained merely a petition. The Linden University has posted on its website that on 1 March the family bible and whip that belonged to Chief Hendrik Witbooi (1834-1905), which had been donated to the university in 1902, would be returned to Namibia by the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. It also announced that until 17 February, both objects would be exhibited in the museum.
The university also stated that the return of the bible and whip to Namibia was the first restitution of culturally significant objects from a museum in Baden-Wuerttemberg.
History has it that during the surprise attack at Hornkranz early on 12 April 1893, German imperial troops robbed a wounded Witbooi of his whip and bible, in which he had made annotations.
Hanse-Himarwa yesterday emphasised that the return of these artefacts was being done in the spirit of restitution of looted cultural goods.
She added that on Wednesday, 27 February the ministry and a delegation from Baden Wuertemberg would make a symbolic visit to Hornkranz.
On 28 February a procession will head from Windhoek to Gibeon via Rehoboth, Kalkrand and Mariental.
On 1 March there will be an official state handover to President Hage Geingob.
A personal exchange has been arranged for 1 March at Gibeon, where the Namibian government will be presented with the objects by the German state's minister of culture and art, Theresia Bauer.
JEMIMA BEUKES
The NTLA last week urged the government to postpone the repatriation of the two historic artefacts, which are scheduled to be returned from Germany next week. The group also instructed a lawyer to apply for a court interdict to prevent Germany from returning the items.
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority has thrown its weight behind the NTLA.
Arts minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa yesterday emphasised that a law had been passed in Germany to allow for the repatriation of the items. She said the repatriation had been planned long ago and was supposed to form part of the third repatriation of human remains from Germany last August, but it was postponed. “This bible [is] coming back after 100 years in a new dawn, a new era where we have a legitimate government elected by the people, including the Witbooi or other clans representing the people of Namibia in its entirety, [which] has the legal standing to represent the people of Namibia at a state-to-state level. States do not negotiate with individuals,” she emphasised.
She added that Witbooi was much more than a “small tribesman” but rather “a world icon”.
“If there are letters written by whoever, that is not something for us to answer; we keep to what is under our mandate. We have been in consultation with the Witbooi descendants on this issue.”
She also said that the government planned to build a Hendrik Witbooi memorial museum where these artefacts and other items related to the legendry leader would be exhibited for future generations.
According to her a certified copy of the bible will in the meantime be exhibited at Gibeon at a venue agreed upon with the Witbooi family until the museum is built.
“The fact that we, the government of Namibia, are taking the official handing-over to Gibeon is the ultimate honour, recognition and respect to the Nama people in their entirety and the /Khowese and Witbooi clan in particular,” she said.
Namibia's ambassador to Germany, Andreas Guibeb, yesterday said without a court order the NTLA's lawyer's letter remained merely a petition. The Linden University has posted on its website that on 1 March the family bible and whip that belonged to Chief Hendrik Witbooi (1834-1905), which had been donated to the university in 1902, would be returned to Namibia by the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. It also announced that until 17 February, both objects would be exhibited in the museum.
The university also stated that the return of the bible and whip to Namibia was the first restitution of culturally significant objects from a museum in Baden-Wuerttemberg.
History has it that during the surprise attack at Hornkranz early on 12 April 1893, German imperial troops robbed a wounded Witbooi of his whip and bible, in which he had made annotations.
Hanse-Himarwa yesterday emphasised that the return of these artefacts was being done in the spirit of restitution of looted cultural goods.
She added that on Wednesday, 27 February the ministry and a delegation from Baden Wuertemberg would make a symbolic visit to Hornkranz.
On 28 February a procession will head from Windhoek to Gibeon via Rehoboth, Kalkrand and Mariental.
On 1 March there will be an official state handover to President Hage Geingob.
A personal exchange has been arranged for 1 March at Gibeon, where the Namibian government will be presented with the objects by the German state's minister of culture and art, Theresia Bauer.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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